Is pet insurance worth it for a Borzoi?
Borzois are amazing dogs. They have a confident and easy-going personality that makes them beautiful companions in the home. They’re also highly athletic and fast, which leads to a lot of potential for injuries necessitating insurance cover.
Medical treatment for your Borzoi can become very expensive, especially if they encounter a more severe issue that requires invasive treatment. Medical bills for treating a sick Borzoi can quickly add up, costing up to a few thousand dollars. In these situations, you don’t want to be in the middle of a crisis and have to choose between your beloved dog and the affordability of their medical treatment.
To prepare for these unexpected circumstances, consider investing in pet insurance. It can help you afford your dog’s medical treatments and procedures while focusing on your dog’s recovery.
Pet insurance can also provide peace of mind that your dog can be covered for the necessary treatments when it has an accident, injury, or illness. This includes (but is not limited to) broken bones, cancer treatment, harm caused by another animal, and prescriptions for chronic conditions. Therefore, pet insurance can be essential and beneficial for your pet.
Common health conditions for a Borzoi
Typically, a Borzoi has a longer lifespan than the average dog, and you can expect your dog to live somewhere between 7 and 10 years. However, like all dog breeds, there are certain medical conditions that your dog could develop, such as:
- Wobbler Syndrome: Some dogs, like Borzois, are susceptible to a degenerative condition that affects their neck and spine. Wobbler syndrome is a progressive disease that causes vertebrae in the neck to become unstable, resulting in spinal cord compression. This disease usually appears between 2 and 5 years of age and includes difficulty walking and clumsiness. Wobbler syndrome is a complex condition requiring treatment individually.
- Heart Disease: Many large breeds are predisposed to heart disease. Borzois are no exception. Some Borzois develop heart murmurs or irregular heartbeats, leading to other problems such as congestive heart failure and sudden death. Medications called beta-blockers are often used to treat these conditions and certain cardiac arrhythmias that affect the heart’s electrical activity.
- Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough hormones necessary for metabolism and other bodily functions. Symptoms can include weight gain, hair loss, dry skin, and lethargy.
- Cataracts: Cataracts are cloudy patches that develop on a dog’s eyes and impair vision or cause blindness. Surgery is needed to remove cataracts, but sometimes they’re so small that they don’t need to be removed.
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy: Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) is a genetic disease that causes the cells in the retina, the layer at the back of the eye, to degenerate over time. The loss of vision can be sudden or gradual, but it usually starts with night blindness, making your pet more skittish when he’s walking around at night and can also cause him to bump into things. Eventually, PRA progresses until your pet is entirely blind.
What does pet insurance cover for a Borzoi?
Pet insurance covers a range of diagnostics, treatments, and procedures for your dog. Depending on the pet insurance plan, you may be covered for injury-only, illness-only, or combination. Based on your plan, you are eligible for the following coverage:
- Diagnostic and blood tests: There’s a lot of diagnostic testing that can help your Borzoi maintain a healthy lifestyle, from routine blood tests to more complex procedures. Depending on your deductible and reimbursement levels, you can use pet insurance to cover some or all of these expenses with the right policy.
- Hereditary and genetic conditions: The Borzoi is a breed that has an increased chance for certain hereditary and genetic disorders. The good news about these conditions is that they can often be managed effectively with early detection. With the right pet insurance, you’ll be able to cover some or all of your pet’s veterinary costs if they should face any of these.
- X-rays and surgeries are two of the most common procedures in veterinary care today. You can use pet insurance to defray the cost of these procedures, which will help you make medical decisions based on what’s best for your Borzoi instead of what’s easiest on your wallet.
- Medication and hospital stay: Many policies will cover many expenses if your Borzoi needs medication or an extended stay at a pet hospital.
Pet insurance covers a range of treatments, but not preventative or wellness care. Regular check-ups with the veterinarian will not be covered under most pet insurance plans. You will need to take advantage of an individual wellness plan or see if the provider has any add-on for wellness visits, and most providers do have it as an add-on.
Moreover, most insurance providers will not cover pre-existing conditions before registering your pet for coverage. Review everything your potential pet insurance plan covers and what types of pre-existing conditions they exclude to ensure your pet will be eligible for coverage.
How much does pet insurance cost for a Borzoi?
The average Borzoi pet insurance cost is $56.61 per month, but this varies based on the type and level of coverage you choose for your pet. To get a better idea of what you’ll be spending, you can use Figo’s Pet Cloud app to get a quote for your Borzoi based on the type of coverage you want to provide.
How are pet insurance premiums determined for a Borzoi?
Many factors will determine the monthly premium rate for your Borzoi (included but not limited to):
- Age: Your Borzoi’s age plays a large part in how much you’ll pay for pet insurance. Older dogs are more likely to have health issues and need more expensive treatment, so premiums increase as your dog gets older.
- Location: Where you live can impact cost due to how much it costs to live in your area and how much veterinary costs are in your region. Some providers may also consider the climate you live because certain temperatures are more prone to some conditions (for example, colder climates are more likely to cause joint problems).
- Gender: Male dogs are more prone to injuries, so you will likely pay a little more for a male Borzoi than a female.
- Medical history: Older pets or those with existing medical conditions will likely have higher premiums than healthy animals. You can still ensure sick or older pets, though—just make sure you disclose any relevant information to the insurer to find a plan that meets your needs.
- Deductible: This refers to how much money you’ll need to pay out of pocket before the insurance company will begin covering claims. Higher deductibles mean lower premiums. Deductibles typically range from $50-$1,000 and can be customized based on your needs and budget.
- Reimbursement rate: Pet insurance companies offer plans with different reimbursement rates that range from 70% to 90%. The higher percentage you choose, the less you will pay out-of-pocket if your pet needs medical care.
- Coverage amount: If you have an older dog who requires frequent vet visits or surgery as he ages, then it would make sense to get unlimited coverage so that there are no limitations on what you can claim back from the insurer if something happens while they’re still young enough to enjoy life with their family!
How to choose the best pet insurance plan for a Borzoi
Many pet insurance options are available for a Borzoi, so how do you choose the best one? Here are some key factors to keep in mind as you are deciding on the right plan:
- Budget: Consider what you’re comfortable spending each month on coverage for your dog before looking at plans.
- Customer feedback: Ask friends about the best company they have worked with. Additionally, look up reviews from other pet parents who have bought coverage for their dogs to get an idea of how easy it is to file claims with insurers.
- Conditions covered: The next thing you’ll want to look at is the conditions covered by a plan. This can include illnesses, accidents, cancer treatments, and more. Borzois are prone to certain conditions unique to their breed, and your plan must cover those specific needs. Some plans may not cover pre-existing conditions, which is something else to consider.
- Reimbursement rate: How much of your bill will be paid back? For example, if your reimbursement rate is 80% and your vet bill comes out to $400, you’ll receive $320 back from your insurer. The higher the reimbursement rate is, the better, but this will also mean a more expensive monthly payment.
- Coverage amount: Once you find a plan that covers everything you need, the next step is deciding how much coverage you want (or can afford). There’s no one-size-fits-all solution here; how high or low you set your coverage amount is up to you. Just make sure that it’s enough that your dog will get the treatment they need while keeping your budget in check.
- Deductible: As for deductibles, that depends on your preference: a higher deductible will mean lower premiums, but one as low as $50 should be sufficient for most people with this breed.